PL W FA Premier League
Manchester United 2:1 Arsenal
Post-match discussion
Sun, 29 April 2018
Had to stop once he said 500k a week, clearly not a United fan.Okay - which of you is this?
Utterly clueless hyperbolic fan that is blind to the progress we've made since Moyes. Prat.
Fair enough we weren't at the races today with the game essentially a dead rubber, but this is after a United victory FFS! Wonder what he's like when we lose.
Couldn't be bothered about the game to be honest.
Felt like a testimonial game placed at the end of the season.
We won, but nothing to take seriously.
Felt like a testimonial game placed at the end of the season.
We won, but nothing to take seriously.
From some reactions you would think we lost 2-1 not won the game. Jesus. Clearly both sides not quite giving 100% (understandable with the Cup Final/Semi Final coming up), and we have qualified for the Champions League without breaking a sweat really.
Fellaini again showed what he can do and how useful he can be and he still gets grief.
Hope Lukakus knock isnt serious and the tributes at the start drew a nice line under Fergie/Jose and Wengers fueding.
Fellaini again showed what he can do and how useful he can be and he still gets grief.
Hope Lukakus knock isnt serious and the tributes at the start drew a nice line under Fergie/Jose and Wengers fueding.
I third that. Sensible gentlemen. Match day thread not improving, I fear; every pop-eyed pundit in town wants to air their wares on an MU forum; dilution is the only/best solution. But occasional sane posters are a comfort to the soul (I leap aboard my (low) horse, and go charging over the nearest hillock).
With an FA Cup final appearance on the line perhaps it is not surprising it was such a distracted performance. Mou could be rotating the team at this point, give a few players a chance, not sure there is any real need for Lukaku to start every game up front when Rashford/Martial could do with a chance at a few games in that spot. Give Smalling a rest, try and see if Rojo can find some form.
Yeah testimonial that's what it was!
There seemed to be an inevitability about us winning from a Young cross and Fellaini header. I wonder how many times that combo has worked for us in the past. I'm guessing quite a few, relative to the game time they've shared.
Makes you wonder what would have happened had Jose signed Perisic. On paper, a bit underwhelming but how many Perisic left wing crosses for Lukaku headers would we be talking about this season? I reckon quite a few.
Just a solid, slightly boring but reliable source of goals throughout a season.
Makes you wonder what would have happened had Jose signed Perisic. On paper, a bit underwhelming but how many Perisic left wing crosses for Lukaku headers would we be talking about this season? I reckon quite a few.
Just a solid, slightly boring but reliable source of goals throughout a season.
I switched off with 30 mins to go, as I was fed up with watching another dire, insipid performance. I do not enjoy watching United under Mourinho. This game of attrition is taking a lot out of the club... the players, fans, general mood is not good. And all of that to maybe win an FA Cup?
I do worry, because the balance is simply not right there. How can players get anything close to playing to their potential within such a boring, restrictive playing system, lacking any expression at all. We have players who join United, to play like United, and they are facing this?
It's awful, and very worrying as something will have to give.
I can't stand Jose. Can't stand him. He has stamped his awful, dour, and negative mentality onto the club. I am surprised people think that's acceptable because we have won a Europa League trophy. And I don't feel finishing second by a point or two makes a huge statement... not at all.
Just my views.
I do worry, because the balance is simply not right there. How can players get anything close to playing to their potential within such a boring, restrictive playing system, lacking any expression at all. We have players who join United, to play like United, and they are facing this?
It's awful, and very worrying as something will have to give.
I can't stand Jose. Can't stand him. He has stamped his awful, dour, and negative mentality onto the club. I am surprised people think that's acceptable because we have won a Europa League trophy. And I don't feel finishing second by a point or two makes a huge statement... not at all.
Just my views.
Some of the responses in here.Dead rubber game, felt like a testimonial/Soccer Aid match between two sets of players that were not part of either team when both were at each others throats and people are upset, despite Arsenal losing in the most Arsenal way possible.
The first half was alright anyway, the second half lacked intensity but Jesus Christ, people need to get a grip.
Dead rubber game, felt like a testimonial/Soccer Aid match between two sets of players that were not part of either team when both were at each others throats and people are upset, despite Arsenal losing in the most Arsenal way possible.
The first half was alright anyway, the second half lacked intensity but Jesus Christ, people need to get a grip.
Tell me, are you happy with how Manchester United are playing under Jose Mourinho? Just a question...
People actually sit and watch that guy watching each match live?
Sanchez has shown a huge improvement for us in recent weeks - and hopefully will be primed and bang-on ready for next season with no World Cup to drain him and much-needed rest that he deserves.
But what's going on with him down the right hand side when attacking subs like Rashford/Martial etc are made and we start chasing the game - and look for BOTH sides to offer us an outlet in terms of threat and penetration? He looks lost and impotent to me (perhaps with only Valencia as his handyman) - and all our threat and trouble seems to come from the left.
You could say we've simply got more players who offer a threat down there (and naturally gravitate there) - Young, Pogba, Martial, Rashford - but it just seems a trend that when we're chasing a game, he just can't seem to get going and doesn't have the intensity and threat that he has in the middle and on the left.
Maybe he simply isn't getting enough of the ball when we've got the subs on, which is fine. But there's a distinct lack of quality there too.
Hopefully, he'll adopt better next season.
But what's going on with him down the right hand side when attacking subs like Rashford/Martial etc are made and we start chasing the game - and look for BOTH sides to offer us an outlet in terms of threat and penetration? He looks lost and impotent to me (perhaps with only Valencia as his handyman) - and all our threat and trouble seems to come from the left.
You could say we've simply got more players who offer a threat down there (and naturally gravitate there) - Young, Pogba, Martial, Rashford - but it just seems a trend that when we're chasing a game, he just can't seem to get going and doesn't have the intensity and threat that he has in the middle and on the left.
Maybe he simply isn't getting enough of the ball when we've got the subs on, which is fine. But there's a distinct lack of quality there too.
Hopefully, he'll adopt better next season.
It felt like a testimonial, but it shouldn't have been. Arsenal at home should always be a priority, especially when we want to cement 2nd place ahead of Liverpool and fecking Spurs. I like taking away imaginary trophies from the lesser clubs that haven't won trophies in ages. However, I think it was great that we only won by one goal and didn't smash them. Not that we owe Wenger anything at all, but still, it was dignified. Seeing him walk out after 0-6 would have been sad. If that makes any sense.
I am happy that we have shown year on year progress, won a few cups and could win another one in a couple of weeks. I am not happy with the intensity we play with every week but we've hardly been LVG or Moyes bad.
My patience has been tested this season at points but with all things being relative, we're in good shape for next season.
Apparently.
Which players do you think were restricted yesterday exactly?
Pogba was playing with absolute freedom and so did Martial when he came on. Then we went one further and had Fellaini spend most of his time as a striker.
We were very lazy and lacked passion/intensity for sure but how can anyone think our players lacked freedom
I don’t get that at all
So odd!People say that nonsense because it suits their Jose out narrative and we can't prove what instructions they were given before and during the game.
I thought this. His touch was shocking and seemed to mess up moves that were starting to develop well.
I thought Ashley Young had a good game. Defiantly not our best performance but enjoyed the Fergie time goal for Wenger to take home.
That's why we won then.
So that was another wet fart of a match. We've been pish to watch for almost the entirety of 2018, despite picking up an excellent sequence of results over the last few weeks. It's actually getting hard to believe that we were quite good to watch earlier in the season. I mean, I'm sure that we were - because I remember thinking it at the time - but we've been so grim for so long that it feels like the new norm.
We just don't seem to have it in us to take it to the opposition and really put on a dominant display. It's all about getting our noses ahead, then retreating into our shell. Conservative, error strewn, lazy, completely risk averse in everything we do; with maybe 5 or 10 minutes out of the 90 when we might actually put together some nice sequences of progressive attacking football. All three of our CMs seemed to be competing with each other to make as many basic errors as possible. Considering the players they were up against, I was massively disappointed with Pogba, Matic and Hererra. A recurring theme this season.
Arsenal have fallen so far that it's not worth being too upset about not putting the boot into them (and we could be waiting a very long time to get as good a chance to steam-roll the old enemy) but I don't know why anyone wouldn't be at least a little pissed off at yet another missed opportunity to lay down a marker for next season. There's nothing about this manager or this team that makes me optimistic about the future. Perhaps an FA Cup trophy will gee me up for 2018/19 but even that won't do the trick if we win it playing like we did yesterday.
We just don't seem to have it in us to take it to the opposition and really put on a dominant display. It's all about getting our noses ahead, then retreating into our shell. Conservative, error strewn, lazy, completely risk averse in everything we do; with maybe 5 or 10 minutes out of the 90 when we might actually put together some nice sequences of progressive attacking football. All three of our CMs seemed to be competing with each other to make as many basic errors as possible. Considering the players they were up against, I was massively disappointed with Pogba, Matic and Hererra. A recurring theme this season.
Arsenal have fallen so far that it's not worth being too upset about not putting the boot into them (and we could be waiting a very long time to get as good a chance to steam-roll the old enemy) but I don't know why anyone wouldn't be at least a little pissed off at yet another missed opportunity to lay down a marker for next season. There's nothing about this manager or this team that makes me optimistic about the future. Perhaps an FA Cup trophy will gee me up for 2018/19 but even that won't do the trick if we win it playing like we did yesterday.
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I'm making a point, based on the observations of not only yesterday's game (and by the way, if you think watching that game yesterday, that our team plays with freedom, then we will have to agree to disagree....).
That is a team, with some outstanding attacking talent, clearly inhibited... or not being coached in a way where we are able to bring the potential out of the players we have. If this makes you happy as a United fan, that's cool... if you think everything will be a 'better' next season, great. I personally, am not quite so sure. If I was, I would say so. I have no personal gripe with Mourinho, I don't know the flaming guy. But as a manager of an amazing club, with a definitive tradition of how the club represents itself, on and off the pitch, no, I don't like him, I can't stand him in fact.
And yesterday was yet another tepid, boring performance against an inexperienced Arsenal team.
But some on here seem to accept where we are and that's fair game. I just don't happen to agree. That is ok on here right, to not agree?
No, we haven't.
But if you can't feel optimistic about a manager and team that may win 3 trophies in 2 seasons, achieve the highest season standing and points since Fergie retired, beating all the rivals with comebacks then maybe you should take a pause from watching United for a while.
If only he switched off earlier, we wouldn't have to wait till 90th+ min.
So that didn't happen...
Anyway, the only thing that would make me take a pause from watching United is if the decline in attractiveness of our football that's happened over the course of this season continues to Van Gaal levels and beyond. And trophies would be almost completely irrelevant in that decision.
If we are judging things against a LVG and Moyes standard, then trust me, we needn't have spent £300m and £20m in wages to improve on that. And LVG both won a trophy and introduced/ developed some young players.
All this reiterates my point.... our standards, levels of expectations have been falling. How on earth can our style of play be satisfactory this season to United fans is beyond me? It's been quite dreadful at times. So that's the future? Yes, if we finish top four and reach a domestic Cup Final?
If so, that's fine, but I'm not convinced. Mourinho has some fans feeling a sense of gratitude to him being there, and trying impress on people what he has 'achieved'. Some seem to have been sold on this. I'm not. I, personally, think there are other managers who could spend £300m, at a club with significant history and attraction to many top players, and reach a domestic cup final, and improve upon LVG and Moyes. I don't think that is some astonishing, unique suggestion of management and coaching.
And please, do not quote stats. I'm taking about the direction of the team, players, and club. And comparing this to the potential of competing clubs around us. If this season fills you with hope for the next, that's fine. But I am not sure how much more Mourinho can get out of these players.
I guess you can argue this was a dead rubber game and team found it difficult along with the manager to motivate themselves given respective league standings.
However, I don't think we're capable of going through the gears during the game in a way good teams are able to since we fail to impose ourselves due to our inability on the ball. The intensity only picks up once we're down or running the risk of getting embarrassed but that is pretty much down to the emotional stimulus and anyone who played any sort of sport at a decent level knows that even if you don't know what you're doing and are not good enough sometimes you can ride on those emotions to get you through. In fact, we have very good players given their talents are shining through despite lack of attacking tactics for us to get over the line when put against the wall but it is simply impossible to sustain playing with similar emotional attachment for prolonged period of time, hence our inability to put in performance from the get go right to the final whistle as it would be very mentally draining.
Good teams don't rely on emotions to move the ball around quickly since they know what they're doing during transitions and in attacking phases most of the time.
That game basically summed up the whole season for me. Another good result against one of the “top” teams. We’ve now beaten Arsenal (twice), Man City, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea; every member of the top six beaten and that highlights our progress this season. It also solidified our spot in second, which takes us from sixth last year. Again, sure signs of progress. We’re also in another cup final with the chance to win our 3rd trophy in two seasons under Jose which would be quite the achievement.
However.
The game was fecking grim. I know it had nothing on it, but this wasn’t a one off. Our attack is stunted, we’re way too narrow, our fullbacks are a waste of time in an attacking sense and i genuinely can’t remember the last time we had some overlaps on the wings. We’re static up front and lack so much movement; we have no pattern to our game. The huge swing in performances form one week to another in this team is so stark. Thought we played well last week after Spurs had their little spell. Defended well but also counter attacked well. But a good performance is normally followed by a poor one. We haven’t got the ability to push on. It’s like the previous performance didn’t happen and we’re starting afresh each time. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. And that basically sums up the season.
There’s definitely a mentality issue - the players admitted it themselves. When i say mentality, i specifically talking about our inconsistencies. I know we’ve come from behind a few times this season which is obviously a positive but, again, I’m talking about our inability to build on good performances and perform at a consistent level. Anyway, onwards and upwards to the final!
However.
The game was fecking grim. I know it had nothing on it, but this wasn’t a one off. Our attack is stunted, we’re way too narrow, our fullbacks are a waste of time in an attacking sense and i genuinely can’t remember the last time we had some overlaps on the wings. We’re static up front and lack so much movement; we have no pattern to our game. The huge swing in performances form one week to another in this team is so stark. Thought we played well last week after Spurs had their little spell. Defended well but also counter attacked well. But a good performance is normally followed by a poor one. We haven’t got the ability to push on. It’s like the previous performance didn’t happen and we’re starting afresh each time. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. And that basically sums up the season.
There’s definitely a mentality issue - the players admitted it themselves. When i say mentality, i specifically talking about our inconsistencies. I know we’ve come from behind a few times this season which is obviously a positive but, again, I’m talking about our inability to build on good performances and perform at a consistent level. Anyway, onwards and upwards to the final!
Good to get the 3 points, but it was like a Testimonial for Wenger. About 7 players didn't turn up, and it's plain to see that we need improvement in a few areas.
He fecking infuriated me yesterday. His agenda over Rashford is a disgrace, I'm fed up hearing and seeing it from him.
That's all I can gather from his stupid analysis. Feck me, he actually gets paid for it too LVG didn't know what he was doing most of the time and it felt like we won the FA cup despite him being the manager.
I don't think our standards have fallen at all, I think people are being reasonable for where we're currently at. Jose will come under increased scrutiny next season as we all expect development, and rightly so. If we had been relegated and just regained promotion, people wouldn't be expecting us to win the PL or CL. We've been the 6th best team in the PL for the last 3 seasons, to now be the 2nd best team in the PL, that's improvement that only Burnley can better.
We're currently going through a transitional phase, like the ones we often went though under Fergie where we would pick up a trophy here or there but Arsenal/Chelsea would win the league. If we're patient, we'll see that we're not far of a proper challenge.
Jose might not win us the league and he might lose him job at the end of next season if we don't look better than we did this year but if he does, we'll be in better shape than the teams Moyes and LVG left.
Wanting Jose gone because we've played some poor football on occasion this season is the equivalent of wanting Fergie sacked because we finished 3rd a couple of seasons running.
Who said it wasn't okay to not agree?
You've listed a load of arguments i haven't made or even touched on
Just asking who in particular you feel was restricted yesterday since you made the point?
Its a bizzare view as that was one of our most unrestricted setups, the CBs pushed up the full backs got up, Matic was performing flicks in their box. I can't think of anyone who looked restricted.
The same thing happened last season and it also happened in Jose's last full season at Chelsea in 2014/2015.
The quality of football gets worse as the season goes on to the point where by the end of the season it's getting close to Van Gaal levels of fecking unwatchable.
If we win the FA Cup in 3 weeks playing shite then I won't mind but in games like yesterday where it's almost a free hit it's depressing to see how fecking lethargic and timid a performance it was.
Hard to understand why. The fact our players run less than those at other clubs should - in theory - keep them fresh. Well that hasn’t happened.
This season has been a strange one due to City running away with it after they beat us back in October/November. We never really believed after that. We have been interesting to see how we finished if it had been much closer coming into the last 10 games.
The two Sevilla games were as flat as any league performance. How do we explain them?
Don't know, looked as though we shit the bed when we needed some big performances. Looked like too many players were scared of the occasion.
Man of the Match
Runners-up
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18%
Victor Lindelof
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14%
Nemanja Matic
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13%
Marouane Fellaini
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11%
Anthony Martial
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7%
Ashley Young
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3%
Alexis Sanchez
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2%
Ander Herrera
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2%
David de Gea
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2%
Romelu Lukaku
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1%
Chris Smalling
Player Ratings
Total Average Rating
Highest Rated Player
Lowest Rated Player
Compiled from 327 ratings.
Score Predictions
404,13,24
- Man Utd win
- Arsenal win
- Draw
Detailed Results
- 29% Man Utd 2:0 Arsenal
- 17% Man Utd 3:1 Arsenal
- 16% Man Utd 2:1 Arsenal
- 14% Man Utd 3:0 Arsenal
- 4% Man Utd 4:0 Arsenal
- 3% Man Utd 1:0 Arsenal
- 3% Man Utd 4:1 Arsenal
- 3% Man Utd 5:0 Arsenal
- 2% Man Utd 1:1 Arsenal
- 2% Man Utd 0:0 Arsenal
- 1% Man Utd 3:2 Arsenal
- 1% Man Utd 2:2 Arsenal
- 1% Man Utd 1:2 Arsenal
- 1% Man Utd 0:5 Arsenal
- 0% Man Utd 5:1 Arsenal
- 0% Man Utd 1:3 Arsenal
- 0% Man Utd 0:1 Arsenal
- 0% Man Utd 0:2 Arsenal
- 0% Man Utd 4:2 Arsenal
- 0% Man Utd 4:3 Arsenal
- 0% Man Utd 5:5 Arsenal
Match Stats
- Man Utd
- Arsenal
- Possession
- 59% 41%
- Shots
- 16 8
- Shots on Target
- 3 3
- Corners
- 9 0
- Fouls
- 12 7
Referee
Kevin Friend
Man Utd Lineup
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replaced by Marouane Fellaini
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replaced by Anthony Martial
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-
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replaced by Marcus Rashford
